BOOK 23 OF 66 · MAJOR PROPHETS · KING JAMES BIBLE

Isaiah 24

Isaiah book home•Chapter 24 of 66•23 verses

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Isaiah 24 Overview

Isaiah broadens from particular nations to worldwide judgment: the earth is emptied, social distinctions cannot shield anyone, covenant-breaking brings desolation, yet a remnant praises and the LORD reigns gloriously in Zion.

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24Chapter

23Verses

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Before you read Isaiah 24

Coming from

Tyre, the wealthy maritime trading center, is told to mourn as its commercial network collapses; after a seventy-year period, trade returns, yet its gain is ultimately pictured as consecrated to the LORD.

In this chapter

Leads into

Isaiah answers worldwide judgment with praise: God topples the city of the ruthless, prepares a feast for all peoples, swallows up death, wipes away tears, and brings down proud Moab.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Chapters 13–23 focused on named nations. Chapter 24 widens the lens to the earth, creating an apocalyptic-feeling section that runs through chapter 27.

The interpretive center of Isaiah 24 is the chapter’s own movement: god’s judgment reaches every social level. Read its poetry, signs, historical references, and later biblical connections from that center rather than treating isolated phrases as detached slogans.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

God’s judgment reaches every social level

Priest and people, servant and master, buyer and seller are all placed under the same sweeping accountability.

Human celebration collapses under universal rebellion

Music, wine, cities, and ordinary social joy are silenced.

Judgment is not the final note

Scattered voices praise the LORD, and the chapter ends with His glorious reign in Zion.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Genesis 9

Language about breaking an everlasting covenant has generated debate; Genesis provides one major background for universal covenant language.

Luke 21:25-28

Jesus describes cosmic signs and worldwide distress before final redemption.

Revelation 6–19

Revelation’s worldwide judgments and final divine reign strongly resemble Isaiah 24–27’s expanded horizon.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not assume every detail must refer only to Isaiah’s immediate century.

The chapter intentionally broadens beyond one local invasion.

Do not force a precise chronological chart onto poetic-apocalyptic imagery.

The main sequence—worldwide judgment, remnant praise, divine reign—is clearer than every timing detail.

Read Isaiah 24 watching for…

the widening from nations to the earth

social distinctions erased by judgment

the broken-city imagery

songs from the remnant

the LORD reigning in Zion

Chapter outline3 sections

1-12The LORD empties the earth, and joy ceases under widespread judgment 13-15A remnant raises songs of glory to the LORD 16-23The LORD punishes earthly and heavenly powers and reigns gloriously in Zion

Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.

The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.

The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.

The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.

They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.

The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.

They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.

Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.

From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.

The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.

The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

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Isaiah 24:20

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